IOWA WILD 2025-26 SEASON PREVIEW
Oct 10, 2025With every new hockey season comes the promise of a new lineup, and the beginning of the 2025-26 campaign is no different for the Iowa Wild and their fans.
Iowa’s roster is retooled for the upcoming season; veterans have been added at every position to lead on-ice play and guide developing players. The coaching staff also includes a new face as Greg Cronin takes the helm as the seventh Head Coach in team history.
In this season preview, fans can learn about the organization’s outlook for the season, the process behind creating this season’s roster, and the attributes of the team’s new players.
GOALTENDERS
With Jesper Wallstedt in the NHL, Iowa needed a new face between the pipes. The Minnesota Wild signed Cal Petersen to serve as part of a goaltending tandem with Samuel Hlavaj.
Petersen, who was born in Waterloo, Iowa, brings plenty of NHL experience to the lineup, with 106 NHL games played between the Los Angeles Kings and Philadelphia Flyers. Petersen was previously named an AHL All-Star twice while with the Ontario Reign in 2017-18 and 2019-20.
Hlavaj, who adjusted to North American play in the front end of the 2024-25 season, came on strong in the second half of the year. The 6-foot-4, 240-pound native of Martin, Slovakia, will look to build on a superb late stretch; Hlavaj won four of his final five starts and allowed six goals over those five games.
DEFENSE
Iowa, which returns several names to its defensive corps, added multiple experienced players to the blue line in the offseason.
Ben Gleason, who played with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms and Bakersfield Condors in 2024-25, brings 388 games of AHL experience to Iowa’s defense. Gleason is a true offensive defenseman who facilitates chances across the offensive zone and will likely be expected to quarterback Iowa’s top power play unit.
Matt Kiersted joins the Wild after several seasons with the Florida Panthers and Charlotte Checkers. The Elk River, Minn., native led the AHL in plus-minus (+34) in 2024-25 and is a jack of all trades who can play both his strong and weak sides.
Iowa will gain a physical edge from Wyatt Newpower, an imposing 6-foot-4, 210-pound defenseman entering his sixth professional season.
The Wild return a pair of third-year defensemen who continued to grow in 2024-25. Carson Lambos had a consistent season, stacking games together over weeks and months and eventually earning top-pairing minutes. Lambos, who craves assignments against the opposing top lines, will continue to earn those opportunities this season.
David Spacek enters the season in a similar position to Lambos. Spacek, who was the only player to appear in all 72 games last season, led Wild defensemen in assists (27) and points (31). Fans should expect Spacek to compete for a spot on one of the team’s power-play units.
Jack Peart spent the offseason training in Saint Paul and continuing to improve. As one of Iowa’s most consistent defenders, Peart will look to maintain his 200-foot game and seek all-around growth in his second full season.
Will Zmolek brings a steady presence to the team’s back end and will battle for a consistent spot in the lineup after splitting time with the Iowa Heartanders in 2024-25.
Stevie Leskovar, a rookie, begins the season rehabilitating an injury. Leskovar is a physical, stay at home defenseman who will work on his all-around game and establishing himself as a consistent player during his first year.
FORWARDS
Ben Jones returns to Iowa’s lineup after splitting time between the NHL and AHL last season. The veteran brings elite leadership qualities on and off the ice. Jones, who can play in all situations, is a heart and soul player who is integral to the success of the team.
The Wild enter Opening Night with several new faces who bring extensive professional experience to the table. Tyler Pitlick, a power forward, led Providence in goals (21) in 2024-25 and has skated in 420 NHL games. Pitlick, who can break opposing defensemen with his relentlessness is another true veteran who can serve as a leader for the team’s young forwards.
Nicolas Aubé-Kubel is another physical forward who can skate. Aubé-Kubel has skated in 559 games (304 NHL games) across 10 professional seasons and will be counted on to support Iowa’s special teams.
The new crop of players includes forwards looking to take advantage of second contracts with a new team, such as Elliot Desnoyers and Mark Liwiski. Desnoyers is a talented scorer who led Lehigh Valley skaters in goals (23) during his rookie season in 2022-23. Liwiski is best described as a meat and potatoes player who plays a consistent brand of hockey that keeps opponents honest.
Jean-Luc Foudy, who signed a PTO in the week leading up to the home opener, presents an intriguing option for the Wild. Foudy relies on his speed, can protect pucks up and down the ice, and can hold defenders off. While he dealt with injuries over the past couple seasons, Foudy will have a bounce back opportunity with Iowa.
Iowa returns a pair of forwards seeking to make the most of the final year of their entry-level contracts. As the 2025-26 season kicks off, Caedan Bankier will try to find the gas early, relying on his size to engage opponents physically and increase production. Michael Milne, who is rehabbing from offseason surgery, will continue to rely on his speed and ability to agitate opponents to make an impact when he reenters Iowa’s lineup.
The Wild’s rookies include Riley Heidt and Rasmus Kumpulainen. Heidt, who has success when the puck is on his stick, accumulated 370 points (116-254=370) across five seasons and 281 games in the WHL with the Prince George Cougars. Kumpulainen, a big, powerful forward, thinks through the game well and is a playmaker considering his size. Both players will be challenged to play faster and get the puck back from opponents.
Iowa’s forward group also returns Bradley Marek and Ryan Sandelin. Marek earned an NHL contract with Minnesota in the offseason and played a gritty role in the 2024-25 season. After Marek was injured in February, it was immediately evident how much the team missed his penalty killing and faceoff abilities. Sandelin similarly earned the right to return to Iowa with consistent, trustworthy play throughout the 2024-25 season. He will look to push the envelope this year and build on a season in which he registered AHL career highs in goals and assists.
The forward depth is rounded out by Cam Butler, Matthew Sop and Ryan McGuire. Butler, acquired from the Columbus Blue Jackets in June, presents the coaching staff with a heavy option to wear down opponents and establish physicality. Sop provided both the Wild and Heartlanders with offensive boosts during 2024-25 and will seek to establish himself at the AHL level this season. McGuire, a rookie, completed the 2024-25 season with the Heartlanders after a collegiate career with Northeastern and Colgate, will battle for a roster spot.
COACHING
During the offseason, the team hired Greg Cronin as the seventh Head Coach in team history. Cronin brings an extensive, impressive coaching resume to the table, with 38 seasons of coaching and player development experience to his name. The Arlington, Mass., native spent the previous two seasons as the Head Coach of the Anaheim Ducks and worked for the preceding five seasons in the AHL in the same role with the Colorado Eagles.
Over the course of training camp, Cronin has shared his standard of excellence with his new squad. On the ice, he will be focused on finding ways for the team to exit the defensive zone consistently, transition through the neutral zone with speed, and possess the puck in the offensive zone. Off the ice, the staff will work on assisting young players in developing good habits that will help them transition to the NHL.
Cronin, who is still getting to know the team, has shared the importance of playoff games in player development. He and his coaching staff will spend early morning hours and late nights determining how to put the team in the postseason and give players the “ultimate environment” to prove themselves.